This collection consists of 195 pieces of business, diplomatic, and personal correspondence and accounts primarily accumulated
by English civil servant William Blathwayt (1649-1717) during his service as a clerk in The Hague (1668-1672)
and his tour of Europe in 1672, with some items dated 1682 and a few pieces relating to colonies in East and West Indies.
Approximately twenty items are secret diplomatic correspondence and intelligence reports from agents
throughout Europe, dating from 1720 to 1734 (after Blathwayt's death).

Background

English politician and administrator William Blathwayt (1649-1717) was one of the most distinguished civil servants of his
time. Blathwayt was born in London, England, in 1649. Beginning in 1665, he attended
the Middle Temple and in 1668 entered public life as clerk in the embassy of Sir William Temple
at The Hague (1668-1672). The Embassy was established with the purpose of implementing the Triple Alliance (1668) and was
closed in 1672, following the secret treaty between Charles II and Louis XIV (1670) and
the outbreak of the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672). In 1672, Blathwayt toured Germany and Italy, before returning to England.

Extent

195 items in 3 boxes

Restrictions

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one,
and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Availability

Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information,
please go to following
web site.